I'm sure this has been asked before but I can't find it. How does one measure tongue weight? I don't think our bathroom scale could handle it <g>. I tried our local Dept. Of Highways truck scale and they wouldn't do it. Outside of purchasing a very expensive scale, I'd like to hear from anyone who has some experience with this. We have a 2009 Toyota Tacoma crew cab with towing package and rear-end air bags and an Escape 19. We are not using a WDH.

I run across the scales when they're closed. The digital wieght reading displays operate 24 hours. Truckers will sometimes go over the scales to check weights at the start of a trip so the they don't get burned 500 km into the trip.

I would run over the scale trailerless. Then "go around the block", hook up the trailer, (without moving, or adding/removing anything from the truck) and going over the scale a second time. Record all you axle group weights and do the math latter. What you don't want to do is stop and unhook the trailer on the scale. Blocking access to the scale is not so good. Think about the stealth method.

Something I learned is relevant to those with tandem axles. When weighing the tongue you need to be sure the trailer is level. When you have a torsion axle you can get an incorrect reading by having the tongue too high or too low. I am not sure it this applies to single axle trailers?

You said you are not using WD right ?
When you go to the CAT scale, weigh your truck and trailer together. The CAT scale has three platforms. Steer axle, drive axle, and trailer.
Pull off the the scale, and drop your trailer in the parking lot. Go back on the scale and weigh the truck by itself.
You will pay about $9 for the first weigh, and another $1 for the second weigh ( if done within 24 hours ).
Let's say your drive axle weighs 3500 pounds with the trailer hooked up. And then it weighs 3000 pounds after you dropped the trailer off. Hitch weight is 500 pounds.

You will also see how much weight is coming off your steer axles when you are hitched up ( which may convince you to buy a WD hitch ). And you will see how much weight is on your trailer axle(s). If you have, lets say 3000 pounds on the trailer axle, and 500 pounds of tongue weight, you know your gross weight of the trailer is 3500.

Then if you have a WD hitch, you also need a weigh with the trailer hooked up without the bars in play, and another weigh with the bars in load carrying position. From all of this, you can set everything up correctly and know where you are regarding whether you are within the limits of axles, tires, and hitch components.

EDIT: In my opinion, a Tacoma pulling that trailer would benefit from a WD hitch.